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HVAC systems do a great job of keeping homes cool, but one drawback is that they have to be installed outdoors. This puts them at an increased risk of being stolen. Thieves have gone after HVAC systems for their components and copper. You can lower the risk of theft at your South Bay Peninsula home by taking steps to protect your HVAC system.

Copper Theft

Thieves steal copper in order to sell it and make some quick cash. HVAC system equipment typically has this metal, making it a target for thieves. Keep in mind that you’re more at risk if you live in an isolated area of if your system is in a place that’s easy to access. You can lower the risk of having thieves steal your equipment by doing the following:

Install a fence around your system to make it harder to reach.

Place motion detector lights near your system.

Don’t provide a hiding place for thieves by planting bushes or shrubs around your system.

Put spray paint on your system’s copper tubing. If it gets stolen, this might tip off the buyer or police when it’s sold.

Equipment Theft

Thieves can also steal parts of your system or the entire unit and sell it. You can reduce the risk of this happening by doing the following:

Put your HVAC system in a steel cage. These cages don’t interfere with your system’s ability to work properly, and they make it harder for thieves to steal anything.

Have a security alarm installed, or at least put a sticker on your unit that states that it’s protected by security.

Have a professional HVAC contractor move your system to a place that’s more difficult to get to. This is mainly if your system is currently out in the open in a place that’s very easy for thieves to reach.

If your HVAC system could use some maintenance before summer, contact Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical. We offer dependable HVAC services, including maintenance, repairs, and installations, to homeowners in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).